


Ugly and Happy

by imbeccacile



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Family Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-05-19 04:43:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14866820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imbeccacile/pseuds/imbeccacile
Summary: Mantis reflects on her love for her new family.





	Ugly and Happy

**Author's Note:**

> Infinity War is still destroying me a little so I figured I would write something fluffy <3

Mantis finds herself thinking about her very first conversation with Drax often.

_"So you're a pet."_

_"I suppose."_

As she's sitting with Groot on his bed, she watches him click away on his console. At first, he had seemed annoyed that she was sitting with him. But over time, he had begun to enjoy her presence.

"You are so often alone," she had told him on her third attempt to stay with him. He had grunted but allowed her to sit with him.

She's fascinated by everything he's doing on that console. It's nothing like she's ever seen before. As he can't stay annoyed at her for long, he explains the purpose of the game to her and even lets her try to beat his score. She fails miserably, but instead of feeling defeated, she simply laughs. And Groot laughs with her. And they laugh for a long time, until their sides hurt from laughing too hard.

Groot is putting down the console and they're trying to make each other laugh harder than the other. Later, Rocket asks Mantis in awe how she got Groot to put the game down. She doesn't have an answer, but she catches Groot's eye and grins. He grins back. It's a feeling like no other. A secret shared between them.

_"Usually, people want cute pets. Why would Ego want a hideous one?"_

When she is bored, Mantis likes to sit with Rocket while he works on the ship. He often grumbles but never asks her to leave. She can sense annoyance from him, but she wants to keep him company. Surely, working all the time can get lonely.

He's in a good mood. It's something rare, but it's true. He was able to steal something she didn't understand, and it made him happy. Mantis doesn't know why this object put him in such a good mood, but nonetheless, she's enjoying his humming as he works.

At some point, he sits back to take a break. She asks if he needs anything. Rocket studies her for a moment, and she wonders if he's ever looked at her like that. He grins and shakes his head.

"You wanna learn how this piece of junk works?" he asks, gesturing to the circuitry with the tool that she can't name. Her eyes widen. What if she messes up? He'll be angry with her. He chuckles and turns to begin working again, explaining what the tool is doing and why it's doing it. After a few minutes, he hands the tool to her, sitting back with his arms crossed. "Go on."

She holds it tightly, but he's still smiling, so she does what he explained. When she's done, she stares at it for a moment before looking back at him. A grin spreads across her face as she hands the tool back. He winks and gets back to work. She remembers this from time to time, especially when he snaps at her. She knows he never means it, and this is proof.

_"I am hideous?"_

When she is not with Peter, Gamora is often training. Mantis doesn't quite understand the point of it, especially considering how great of a fighter Gamora already is. As she punches at the bag hanging from the ceiling, Mantis sits on the bench, watching curiously.

By the time Gamora takes a break, sitting beside her, she's sweating and panting, which only pauses while she takes a long drink of her water. Mantis asks why she trains so much when she puts the bottle down. She's surprised to see a smile from the other woman.

"Everyone can improve," Gamora replies patiently, then pauses, thinking about something. Mantis is about to ask what's wrong when she speaks again. "Do you know how to fight?"

Mantis only knows some basic moves. And even then, she hasn't practiced in a long time. She tells Gamora that when she was a child, Ego once taught her how to punch. 'Just in case,' he had told her. But she doesn't remember.

Gamora grins and gets to her feet, gesturing for Mantis to join her at the bag. "If you're going to be a Guardian," she says with a hint of humor, "you should know how to kick ass." With that, she curls her fist; Mantis takes note of how it looks and attempts to do so, curling her thumb beneath her fingers. Gamora shakes her head and shows her her own fist again. The thumb is resting on the fingers, not beneath.

Mantis quickly fixes it, and Gamora tells her to punch at the bag with her knuckles. She does so, but she barely moves it and she's fairly sure that she's doing something wrong. Gamora demonstrates, sending the bag flying backward. When it swings back, she catches it with ease and stills it. Mantis tries again. It's a little better than the first attempt.

Gamora is patient and helps Mantis improve. She even teaches her a few kicks, and Mantis has to admit that it's a bit fun. She understands why Gamora likes to train, and when they are finished, she hugs her. Gamora tenses but allows it. Mantis is so happy.

_"You are horrifying to look at, yes."_

When the ship is quiet, Mantis walks. She likes to take in the beauty of the ship. Even though it is nothing compared to Ego's planet, she feels at home here. Sometimes, on her walks, she'll reach the front of the ship where Peter is sitting, listening to a song she's never heard before. She wonders just how many he knows because she's certain sometimes that she's heard so many different ones already.

He doesn't notice her until she sits beside him. When she does, he quickly sits up and acts like he was doing work, but in reality, there is nothing to be done, anyway. She giggles and he chuckles and relaxes. Usually, he speaks a lot, but when she sits with him, she notices he doesn't talk much. He's listening to the song that's playing closely.

She doesn't want to interrupt him, but she is also curious. She asks what the song is called, and she watches his expression morph into slight excitement. "It's called 'Gimme Shelter' by a band called the Rolling Stones!" he answers, sending a grin her way. "Do you like it?"

Mantis pauses a moment to listen like she's seen him do in the past. She closes her eyes and listens; to the guitar, to the vocals, and the lyrics themselves. She likes the way it makes her feel. It's like artificial happiness - something to use when she can't use her powers. She understands why Peter likes listening to these songs.

"Yes," she answers after a few moments, smiling widely. She's happy that she likes it, truthfully. "I do!" Peter cheers, saying how cool she is for liking this kind of music.

"Unlike some people I know!" he adds, directing it down the hallway in the general direction of the rest of the team. She giggles again, assuming the rest of the team does secretly like Peter's music; they just don't admit it. He gives her a bright smile that she wishes he would give more often. It suits him. She smiles back.

_"...But that's a good thing."_

_"Oh?"_

Mantis is wakened by Drax, who tells her she must come immediately. She's afraid, at first, that something terrible has happened and quickly hops out of bed. She follows him to his quarters, where nothing is on fire or in danger. Instead, everything looks pretty normal.

Drax points out his window, smiling fondly. There are meteors shooting past them - at a safe distance, of course. And they're beautiful up close. "I did not want you to miss this," he replied at her confused expression. She smiles excitedly; she has never seen a meteor shower before, let alone in space!

They sit together, watching. Light illuminates both of their faces as the meteors rush past. They are both captivated, but she looks away for a moment. She watches him; completely at ease, relaxed. It's the most relaxed she's ever seen him, and she wants to remember that. He is always thinking of his wife and daughter, and she knows what the pain of losing them had felt like for him. It's something she wouldn't wish on anyone, let alone a man as kind - and perhaps as blunt - to her as Drax.

She remembers when Drax told her she reminded him of his daughter. It's something she's never forgotten, especially as they became closer. Hesitantly, she rests her head on his shoulder. He tenses for a moment, before putting an arm around her back. She's never been held like this before. She doesn't know her parents, but she knows that Drax - and the rest of the Guardians - are her family. That is what matters.

_"When you're ugly and someone loves you, you know they love you for who you are."_

Mantis may be ugly. But she knows she is loved, and she loves right back. It's all she could ever ask for.

 


End file.
